1. Field of the Invention
This disclosure relates to the field of hunting equipment, and more particularly to systems and methods for disguising the presence of a hunter.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is well known in hunting that camouflaging the hunter is often essential to success. Unlike most animals, humans are not naturally camouflaged and tend to stick out in the wilderness. Thus, hunters commonly wear camouflaged clothing or set up camouflaged structures to hide in, commonly known as “blinds.”
Hunting blinds may be permanent or portable structures, and are manufactured in a variety of configurations. One such configuration is the “layout” or “laydown” hunting blind, which is configured to allow the hunter to sit or recline within the camouflaged structure. This allows the hunter to see the surroundings and monitor for prey, while keeping the majority of the hunter camouflaged by the blind. Often, the hunter has a weapon loaded within the blind. When prey is spotted, the hunter can quickly release the cover and sit or stand to fire the weapon at the prey.
One problem with layout blinds is that closing the blind can be difficult. For example, the lower body and torso should be covered by the blind as much as possible for maximum camouflage, but positioning and covering oneself within the blind can be difficult. The hands must be free to arrange the camouflage over the body, but retrieving the hands within the cover can disturb the camouflage previously set.
Relatedly, even minor movements of the hunter within the blind can disrupt the camouflage, or cause parts of the hunter to become exposed, requiring that the camouflage be reset. The more that the hunter arranges the camouflage, the more likely the hunter's movements are to scare off prey.
Other problems include the fact that layout blinds are generally deployed directly on the ground, which causes the blind itself to become soiled and may be uncomfortable for the hunter, particularly if the hunter must remain in place for an extended period of time. Where the ground is wet or moist, such as in marshes or wetlands, this may cause the hunter to become wet or chilled.
Another problem is that blinds tend to be bulky and difficult to transport. This is particularly true with layout blinds, which are approximately the size and shape of a person. Typically, the hunter will drive to a location near where the blind is to be set up. In this scenario, the blind will be transported only a short distance from the hunter's vehicle. However, dragging the blind to the spot can soil it. Where a good hunting location is a long distance from navigable roadways, which can make it difficult for the hunter to get the blind to the location.
What is needed in the art is a portable and easily carryable temporary layout hunting blind which elevates the hunter from the ground, and is easy and fast to configure.